TALLAHASSEE — Charlie Crist's transformation from Republican governor to Democratic nominee was cemented Tuesday as he easily cruised to the nomination for his old job by his new party.

Now voters and donors will be bracing themselves as Crist and GOP Gov. Rick Scott wage one of the hottest political fights in the nation. Both sides are likely to carpet-bomb the airwaves with negative advertising during a two-month march to the Nov. 4 general election.

With 91 percent of precincts statewide reporting, Crist had 74.2 percent of the vote compared to 25.8 percent for former Senate Democratic Leader Nan Rich of Weston. Although Rich has been running for two years, Crist refused to debate her, and donors largely stayed away.

"This is a night that we should celebrate, but we've got to get to work really fast because we know what we're running against," Crist told a cheering crowd at his victory party at a Fort Lauderdale hotel. "Let me tell you why that's important: Because in 70 days we want to make Florida Scott-free."

Since Crist entered the race in November, Scott and his allies have shoveled more than $65 million into advertising and other campaign expenses.

Crist has spent just a fraction of that so far: about $18.5 million from Crist's campaign funds and state Democratic Party coffers. But that spending will accelerate now thanks to donors from across the country interested in establishing a beachhead in the all-important swing state for the 2016 presidential election.

"The next few months are about talk versus action," Scott said in a statement. "That means Florida will have a choice between a governor who sent our state into a tailspin and a governor who gets results. Charlie Crist failed as governor, lost 830,000 jobs and tried to run off to Washington — and now he wants his job back."

Scott also easily won his party's nomination for re-election in what was little more than a formality against two unknown Republicans, Yinka Abosede Adeshina of Tallahassee and Elizabeth Cuevas-Neunder of Sarasota. Nearly complete returns had him with 87.7 percent of the vote.

Democratic voters also tapped George Sheldon as their long-shot nominee to run against incumbent Republican Attorney General Pam Bondi. Sheldon, a former legislator who served as secretary of the Department of Children and Families under Crist's administration, was leading Perry Thurston, the current House minority leader, 61.9 percent to 38.1 percent.

Meanwhile, Republicans noted that despite having two statewide primaries on the ballot, Democrats actually turned out about 120,000 fewer voters than Republicans in the gubernatorial race — a potentially encouraging sign for Scott.

In one of the toughest primary battles, state Sen. Geraldine Thompson easily beat a challenge from her predecessor and longtime political rival, former state Sen. Gary Siplin, in District 12, which covers much of western Orange County. She won 64 percent of the vote.

"Voters want ethical and principled leadership in the Florida Senate, and that's what I bring," Thompson said.

For the Republicans, Edward DeAguilera beat Fritz Jackson Seide to face Thompson in November in a district that has been a Democratic stronghold for years.

Several state House of Representatives races were hotly contested this summer.

A sitting state representative lost his Democratic primary in District 43, in north Osceola County. John Cortes, a former policeman, beat state Rep. Ricardo Rangel, D-Kissimmee.

Tea-party favorite Jennifer Sullivan, 22, was elected in District 31, in eastern Lake County and western Orange, defeating Randy Glisson by 5 points in a crowded field. The other candidates, Belita Grassel, Terri Seefeldt and Joseph Stephens, finished well back.

Colonial High School teacher and track coach Rene Plasencia easily beat retired police detective Ed Rodriguez in House District 49 in eastern Orange. The winner will face incumbent state Rep. Joe Saunders, D-Orlando, in November.

In District 47, covering much of central Orange, Mike Miller swamped fellow Republican Maurice "Mo" Pearson in what had been a sometimes ugly battle to take on incumbent state Rep. Linda Stewart, D-Orlando.

State Rep. Jason Brodeur, R-Sanford, easily beat back a primary challenge from Kathryn Townsend in House District 28, which covers much of eastern Seminole County, including Sanford.

There is no Democrat candidate in the heavily Republican district, but there is a third-party candidate, Franklin Perez, who will face the Republican winner in November.

Longwood Mayor Bob Cortes beat Scott Sturgill in a Republican primary in House District 30 in central Seminole and north-central Orange. The winner faces state Rep. Karen Castor Dentel, D-Maitland, in the general election.

State Rep. Eric Eisnaugle, R-Gotha, easily beat Stephen Facella, a GOP challenger in House District 44, in western and southern Orange. There is no Democrat, but independent candidate Matthew Falconer awaits Eisnaugle in November.